CV NEWS FEED // A crowd of over 1,000 people gathered on the steps of the California State Capitol to pray for conversion as the anti-Catholic hate group “The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” were being honored on the floor of the Senate inside.

The crowd included actual religious sisters and brothers, as well as priests and laymen from churches across the area.

Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento and an interfaith group of evangelical pastors led the event. Catholics held rosaries and evangelicals raised their hands in prayer. Several Republican legislators walked out of the Capitol to join the vigil.

“We’re grateful to be present to witness to the beauty of our faith and the incredible work our religious sisters do to serve the vulnerable in our society,” Molly Sheahan, Associate Director for Healthy Families for the California Catholic Conference, which co-sponsored the vigil.

Jonathan Keller of the California Family Council organized the event.

“CFC was grateful to join our Catholic brothers and sisters in defending religious freedom and the dignity of people of faith on the steps of the Capitol,” Keller said.

Tommy Valentine, director of the Catholic Accountability Project at CatholicVote, attended the vigil.

“It was beautiful to see so many people gathered in prayer in contrast to the hate on display inside,” said Valentine. “I saw lots of young people holding rosaries, kids, elderly people – everyone.”

“It was particularly striking to see all the nuns and priests in attendance,” he added: 

I wanted to get some quotes from the sisters for The Loop and they declined. I actually thought that was perfect because it demonstrated their humility in contrast to the flamboyant bigots who denigrate them.

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